1. Field of the Invention
Temperature and humidity sensing apparatuses, systems and control processes which modulate air heating and cooling apparatus in environmental control systems.
2. The Prior Art
The conventional residential thermostat with its on-off-auto, heat-cool sub-base is too complex for most occupants to operate efficiently, and some of the more recent energy-conserving thermostats which require instruction booklets are even more complicated to operate, and do not provide a simple solution to energy conservation.
The Emergency Building Temperature Restrictions were promulgated July 5, 1979, under the U.S. Department of Energy, 10 CFR Part 490. These restrictions made it prohibitive in commercial and public buildings for an operator to set the thermostats so that energy is consumed to raise the room dry-bulb temperature above 65 deg F. (18 deg C.) or to set the thermostats so that energy is consumed to lower the room dry-bulb temperature below 78 deg F. (26 deg C.). For many buildings it was impractical to comply with the restriction by simple adjustment of the existing thermostats. There was also considerable reluctance to replace the thermostats due to the guaranteed discomfort as well as cost.